The essence of paradise
by Gilje
Summary: Chained to his bloody past, Sanji had already give up on life and future. Not like a hard headed, green haired priest who comes back to him over and over again, while their world is slowly crumbling down around them.


1.

"Are you sure about choosing this path?"

The man nodded without hesitation.

"I am."

A sharp wind ran through the void they were standing in. It sengoose bumps along his naked skin, but he didn't dare to look away. His ears hurt from the increasing pressure as the entity let his emotions float off him in waves of power.

"I'm asking you again, priest." said the god. "This is your final decision? You'd rather choose eternal damnation instead of your rightful place among the blessed? You'd throw lifetimes' of hard and honourable work away for only this shred of half-life?"

The man knew he had made them angry. All the gods in the jury looked at him with rage or disappointment in their multiple stormy eyes. He didn't dare to rise nor speak, but he held eye contact.

"Any kind of life by his side is better than an eternity apart. I'll accept your punishment." Strange. He'd thought he'd fear to stand before them when he died, but his voice didn't even trembleas he brought down the curse on his head with those words. It was almost like it didn't matter anymore, and with a little surprise, he understood it was true. Hewould suffer because of it. He would pay a very high price.

He was prepared for it.

What he wasn't prepared for was the change on the god's face. His eyes turned sad, the magical symbols onits skin became paler, softer as he opened his mouth to speak once again.

"Think about it again, old friend. You could rest now. Be king among the blessed. Even become one of us" he raised his clawed hand and gestured to the judge. "You could create your own world if you'd like. Don't let it end this way."

The man smiled. Sure they were old friends now, countless times he had passd the gates of the afterlife. Thanks to his blessing, he remembered each and every time, each and every life he had been lived through. That's why he chosen to become a priest, a friend and contact to the higher worlds. It was easier to live among mortals –the ones who had the relief of forgetting their previous life and be born fresh and anew again.

And thatwas why he'd started to avoid them. He'd chosen to ignore the upcoming, familiar faces, the reincarnated friends who never recognized him. And now, here he stood, betraying his only friend whowas still trying to convince him to stay.

Maybe gods can be lonely too.

His brows furrowed and made his forehead wrinkle. But it was not real, the feeling was only a fading memory of skin and muscles and a body which didn't exist anymore. Soon death will overtake them and erase them from his soul.

"I can't ask you for forgiveness. But I can't let him be alone. I'm not complete without him."

The judge went silent. The man felt the pressure rising again. But it wasn't that burning rage anymore. It was creeping close to his heart and made it numb and gray. Distant and cold. The pure, very essence of sadness.

"Very well. By the Law of the Undying, as the King among Gods, I despoil your earned powers. Walk on the Earth and start your circle again. I shall leave your blessing which belongs to you, and to remind you what you have left behind. That's your punishment – live and remember… and never be human again."

The man's breath hitched in his throat and eyes widened, for a moment panic washed over him. Then the space started to spin and dragged his non-existent body with it. The last thing he saw was the sorrow in the god's eyes. Its voice echoed over the dragging blackness.

"Good luck, Roronoa."

And then… darkness came again.

xxxxx

The godling was sitting on top of a small statue, staring into the jungle, even if its green beauty couldn't please his eyes anymore. His mind was far away, while his long and defined fingers drew small circles on the bird-faced statue's wing. He haven't had any other company left anyway except the creeping, dark emptiness in his chest and memories of another life. A life when this city was alive with laughter and love, filled with people and his temple – his home – warm and smelled with burned flowers and fruits.

He remembered sitting on the top of the steps, invisible to the people and watching them play and work as the setting sun painted the streets with lazy golden colors. The ring of the children's laughter still played in his ears as well as the deep sound of the elder's slow conversation, mixed with the nearest river's quiet song.

Each memory was more beautiful than the other, and due to the law of loss[KB1] , more and more painful. They left them with deep gashes in his heart, bleeding cuts which he knew will never heal.

He doesn't deserve a cure for the pain. He wasn't meant to have it.

He felt the first tear rolling down his cheek and falling to the ground. Immediately, a flower rose from the small crevice between the rocks and opened it's beautiful blue petals towards the cloudy sky. The god looked at it, but he still couldn't see past the heavy curtains of memories.

xxx

_The Sun had just settled behind the hills, staining the horizonpink as the purple-ish sky slowly deepened to a darker blue above their heads. It was early, only the first stars had appeared but the festival had already begun at the feet of the temple. The God watched, smiling as his people, the ones he meant to protect and whom loved him for it danced around the huge bonfire. The wind rose, carrying the smell of burned flowers and sweet roots to him._

_"I didn't know the wind can tousle godly hair too" said a low voice behind his back._

_"Only if we want it to " answered the god, turning and smiling at the approaching man who sat beside him on the top of the steps. He raised a hand and held one of his stray locks between his fingers, examining it silently._

_"Hm. Golden-haired god."_

_Sanji grinned, turning his head back to the bonfire. _

_"Oh shut up."_

_"But it's true" the priest wanted to say, but instead held back to look at the god for a moment while he wasn't paying attention. His eyes drawn to the long, light brown eyelids, narrow nose, perfect lips and firm, but elegant jaw as the shadows danced on him, making his hair look like molten gold by the flames' orange light._

_"Yeah, it should be crowned with kelp from the amount of fishes and seafood the people caught the last few days thanks to you."_

_Sanji rolled his eyes and looked at the grinning man. _

_"Yeah, I like sea creatures, so what? If I could I'd create some myself! If you have a problem with that I can certainly make you into one!" said the god, threateningly raising his fingers to snap. "Seriously, you'd fit there better with this ridiculous green mop."_

_The priest chuckled at his angry face and threatening motion. He reached up and closed his fingers around the god's hand lightly._

_"No need, I like your food." hewhispered, and brought the god'sfingers to his lips, kissing them tenderly._

_The god blushed against his will. His index finger tingled where the other man's lips made contact. _

_The man's dark skin seemed to have turned into a faint shade of copper by the dancing flames, making the aquamarine paintings standing out even more on his cheekbones and chest while the yellow and red striped seemed to blend into his deep tan. The thick eyelids casted long shadows on his face, reaching even to the line of his pursed lips. His long green hair and colorful feathers were dancing in the soft drizzle. _

_A small sigh escaped between the god's lips before he could stop it. He immediately pressed them tightly together, but it was enough for the other man to notice. He opened his eyes and as their gaze locked, the blond haired god watched as a slow, side lipped grin pulled at the priest's face. The god took his hand back quickly and looked away, at the spreading jungle around the city and the dancing people below them - anywhere to hide his face. He'd swear he could hear the lazy grin growing into an amused, full smile that was now stretched from ear to ear, threatening to split the idiot's face in half. He flinched as the priest's rough, warm palm touched his neck, turning his head to face him. He was right, even if the other tried to suppress it, there were some small remaining traces of that smile. His stone-grey eyes were shining with mischief and small wrinkles were running from the edge of his eyes. It was so simple, so utterly human, the god could lull himself to a scene where they were on the same level of existence, rough bones and flesh, where life floated in a body and kept you warm until you died._

_How could a human enchant an eternal being so easily, the god was wondering. It seemed so easy for the green haired man, cause he simply couldn't take his eyes off of him._

_He felt a small tumb caressing the path from his ear to his jaw and stroked his small light brown facial hair and cupped his chin lightly. The blond watched as the priest's gaze dropped to his lips, and he had to restrain himself from licking them._

_"You exhausting yourself here" he whispered instead, dropping his gaze as well. _

_"I'd gladly do it just for another moment like this" said the priest and locked their lips together._

_Sanji gasped – he'd almost felt it perfectly. The soft press of flesh on his lips, the warmness of the priest's skin – even if it was just only for a fraction of a second. Then it vanished, and without anything to lean against the green haired man's body slipped through of the god like mist. The priest leaned back, dropping his head slightly in defeat._

_"Told you" said the god, lifting his hand. His fingers hovered in the air, bare millimetres from the other man's jaw, mimicking the same caressing motions. _

_It was part of their cruel reality – the godly kind had always been feeding on the power of the rituals people offered them. They feed on the energy of love and belief, giving them safety and rich harvests in exchange. And their focus, man or woman, send it to the gods. The priests had to be strong, because the guardian gods were draining their energy by their mere presence, subconsciously, no matter if they wanted it or not. They couldn't help it, this was part of their nature which . Touching themwas impossible for most of the priests, for them the process intensified enough to kill the person or drain his higher powers forever. _

_Yet this onedidn't seem to give up. He'd heard about him before this city was given to him to guard, – Roronoa Zoro, the strongest priest on earth, friends with the higher gods and lived formillennia. What he hadn't expected was falling in love with him. Sure, he'd wanted to kill him for a good while too, and he was sure the priest would do that too if he could. But they definitely needed each other for keep things running smootly – since the blond was still young, at least from a godly perspective, he needed a strong priest to help himkeep his magic in control, while the other needed a god to take all the focused energy from him before it falls apart. _

_The blond wasn't sure when it happened. When they turned the most necessary, minimal touches to lingering ones. He couldn't remember when he started to find the priest's odd haircolor endearing, or the first time his face and body paint made him light-headed, and wanting to hear that deep baritone which freed a bunch of butterflies in his chest and stomach. _

_Maybe it wasn't a matter of time at all. That strange, strong, directionless connection was there from the moment they laid eyes on each other, and they were both misguided by it for a while. But they were never quite lost._

_And now, this amazing man was fighting to become even stronger just to be able to touch him, even for a minute longer._

_The god smiled, in a kind of small and melancholic way as the people who knew something was impossible, but don't wanna believe it 'cause the price is too precious to admit defeat do. He turned his wrist, his knuckles and the back of his fingers facing the green haired man's cheek, barely a breath away and made a smooth caressing motion._

_Zoro shuddered under the almost-touch._

_"Sanji."_

The god sighed and rested his head on his knees. When they met Zoro was only in his late thirties. He remembered watching the ages go by on his face, leaving their touches on his skin. Small smile wrinkles creasing from the corner of his eyes and around his mouth. His skin has gotten darker and rougher, and his hair, with its odd behaviour, instead of turning gray became a lighter green, almost yellow here and there. Sanji loved to tease him that one day he would start to grow roots and become part of the jungle. His laughter died away when one time the man looked at him with a melancholic smile and said that that way they wouldn't have to be separated. He was barely whispering but the blonde could hear the sadness in those words, hidden by the lightness of his tone. That was when it struck him. Zoro had never feared death before they… before they get to know each other. Before they became unseperable. Sanji was feeling it for a while; that a part of him wasn't his own anymore.

It belonged to Zoro.

And he couldn't do anything against it. He was powerless. Nobody prepared him for what love can grow to be. This thing was so much more than he ever could be, even in a thousand lifetimes. He wasn't only his own – and couldn't be whole without the other man anymore. All he could do was hope the green haired man was feeling the same too.

It was that. Belonging.

xxx

The god's breath shook at the memories and he buried his face into his knees, letting the tears run down his cheeks. These memories all happened ages ago, and many storms came and went and washed away his people's blood from the streets after the conquistador left. They were all skeletons now, lingering around the ruins. In the end, he wasn't powerful enough to protect them from human rage, greed and bloodlust.

…Maybe it would be easier to just give up now. To letthese memories be carried away by the wind, along with himself. Gods can't really die – but they can dissolve, give up the body, with the memories and self-consciousness, and go back to the pure energy they were born from. The jungle would eventually drink him up – he would live within the forest, help the trees grow higher, the plants be greener and richer, while he would sleep in the earth, deep in the dark brown arms, forever.

Yeah. That would be a good ending. The jungle always reminded sanji of him[KB2] , after all. It would be a nice resting place.

Loving and losing is better than nothing at all.

The god could feel the wind rising from behind the temple. His body felt lighter, and he prepared himself to be carried away. This was the only escape from the magic which bounded him to this place. He felt windy fingers gently ruffling his hair. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, a small sigh escaping from his lips.

This wasn't all bad… this wasn't… bad at all…

„_Raowwwwwr!"_

The god's eyes snapped open. A… tiger? What was it doing in here? This place was abandoned by all life, after the horrors happened between the walls. Animals were avoiding it like fire, and not even plants grew in the cracks of the rocks. Except the blue ones.

Sanji sighed and watched the animal look around slowly, carefully placing its paw on the broken stairs. Not like he haden't seen one before, his people had been wearing their skin after all, and kept them as pets even, but he found him, in a way, fascinating. His movements were liquid-smooth and graceful, despite the size of its body. It was nearly twice the size of a normal tiger, easily 16 ft long, and it raised his golden eyes at the god. Sanji smiled. It wasn't unusual that animals could see him. He raised his hand and made a small caressing motion above the wildcat's head. The giant closed his eyes like he could feel the touch. Maybe it could, who knews? He'd never really talked to tigers before.

"What, you've came to witness my leaving? I haven't been expecting company in my last moments" he whispered absentmindedly, more to himself than to the animal. The tiger opened his eyes as the blond lowered his arm, resting his palm behind him on the top of his favourite statue he'd been sitting on. The cat walked past him slowly, making a tight circle behind him. Sanji followed him with his eye, until he stopped and looked at the god again.

"No dumbass" he said without his mouth moving, and rubbed his side to the bird-ish face of Sanji's statue. "I'm here to keep you company."

The god's eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat, lungs tightening.

"Z-Zoro?" he whispered. He only noticed the small tray of green fur on the cat's back, following the path of the spine. He could feel the tears pooling in the edges of his vision again. "Is that… Ho-how…?"

"Hadn't I told you that I'm coming back?" The tiger raised his head and looked at Sanji's eyes. "I'm not leaving you. I'll come back to you, over and over again. Until the end of time."

The god choked back a sob and newly shed tears rolled down his face, hot like fire. He raised his hand towards the animal. He swore he could see the tiger's mouth edge up in a small, genuine smile but his vision was too blurry to be sure.

"You are my forever."

"And so you are mine." Sanji whispered, melting back to the stone – so he could feel his lover's touch.

xxx

They were beautiful times. Even if they couldn't feel each other much, Sanji could see the similarity in the cat's features – especially in the eyes. They were dangerous, and threatening when the owner didn't paid attention, but melted to a smile every time they caught Sanji's gaze.  
>The circumstances might have changed a little, but Zoro was who he's been earlier, only living in another body. Which, if the blonde would have to admit, suited him pretty well.<p>

The tiger was only hunting small animals, and never went too far from the temple. Especially after the time Sanji had beenteasing him about his reincarnation, and they ended up yelling – or more like yelling and roaring – at each other.

„It was fifty years for fucks' sake! Did you get lost on the way back or something?!"

Zoro went very silent for a while after that, and Sanji – even if those years of loneliness had scarred him enough – couldn't help but burst out laughing.

_Ah, those beautiful years of peace…_

But living beings are fragile things.

Sanji couldn't even count how many times Zoro came back after the tiger's body died, and his bones crumbled to dust along with the citizens'.

He was a bird, and a beautiful sunny morning. He was the wind, and the earthquake , and every animal ever entering his city. No other living being dared to come closer to the cursed temple.

And finally… the rain.

Sanji was looking at the sky, letting the heavy drops hit his face, the water flow down his body and into his open, smiling mouth. He was probably draining himself, but he wanted to feel it. Even if he couldn't pinpoint how, but he know it was him.

"About damn time, marimo! I almost thought you forgot me here!"

The clouds rumbled and a flash of lightning zigzagged past the sky. The god smiled, and closed his eyes, his hair and lashes sticking wetly together.

"Love you too, bastard."

xxx

A few days later Sanji found a little plant, poking out the cracks on the edge of the staircase. The air was still humid from the last rain, settling heavy and glistening in the Sun above the jungle. He crunched down, and idly rested his chin on his right palm.

"I can't fuckin' believe you" he said smiling. "Seriously marimo, about damn time you revealed your true nature."

He reached out and stroked one finger along the edge of a small leaf. It was okay, he couldn't accidentally steal plants' life force.

"Don't be afraid. I'll take care of you."

xxx

Soon, the little plant grew to be a big, health tree on the edge of the stairs, just where they had been sitting hundreds of years ago, watching the dance and the distant stars scattered on the deep blue sky. Sanji wasn't sure if it was growing faster than ordinary trees, or just the years flew by without him noticing them.

But what was time, anyway?

He boldly caressed one of the thick, brown roots besides his shoulder, eyes fluttering closed sleepily. The rest of the roots flowed down the steps of the stairs, Zoro formed the front ones so he could fit between them perfectly, the roots hugging him close as he dozed off.

Zoro watched him fall asleep from the inside of the tree. He watched the blue and green shadows of his crown dance on his face, hair and eyelashes glistening golden in the patches of sunlight. Sanji curled around himself, his chest softly falling and rising with every breath he took. It was a strange sight, Zoro couldn't remember if he ever saw the god asleep, but it was adorable nonetheless, and made him smile despite himself.

"**You know you're destroying him aren't you?"**

Zoro didn't have to turn. He knew this multiple toned voice too well. He was waiting for it, and expected to be angry again – angry at the voice which sent him to this level of living.

But he couldn't feel anything.

"Why are you here?" he asked, eyes still on the blond's face. His mouth twitched in his sleep like he was trying to supress a smile, and made something glow inside of Zoro.

**"I'm here to ask you to stop it. Why don't you leave him already?" **The god trailed off, and looked in the younger god's direction. His voice became small and sad, and Zoro could suddenly hear the ages in it. Sometimes he forgot how old he really is.

**"Love, life…"** the god continued **"all fades so fast, they last merely a blink of an eye for us." **

"This is my eternity." the priest whispered.

**"Would you choose eternal damnation, this recycling curse instead of peace?"**

The man nodded. "Anytime."

The god went silent for a while.

**"You know he will fade too."**

Zoro looked at him this time. The god nodded and turned back to the picture again. **"Yes, he will. Have you ever seen a god sleep before? He's tired, Roronoa. Even if he doesn't realize it yet, but the new worldis already rejecting him, and he doesn't have anything to stay for"** he looked back at the man **"expect you. And he will fade eventually, leaving you here, all alone. Forever. It is what you want?"**

The god's words were terrifying; They made him shiver all over, turning the space cold and hollow around him. But he couldn't back down anymore. He looked back at the sun – his sun, the only one he could care for a long time now, breathing slowly in his shadows, hugging his roots in his sleep. He wanted to stay in it's warmth for a little longer, even if it was destined to fade soon, leaving his world cold and empty. He was willing to do it, just for little more of sunshine.

"This is my eternity" he sighed.

**"But you could have been a god!" **he protested.

"So I am, when he's near to me."

The god turned. His voice was soft again.

**"Look at him, Roronoa. He's suffering. Wouldn't it be more merciful to just to leave him for good and let him die, instead of this recycling torture?"**

The man hummed. "Now you can see, how terribly frail I am."

They remained silent for a while.

"Why don't you just set him free then?" The green haired man started quietly, but as he continued he could feel his temper rise, all the bottled up bitterness coming to the surface and pouring out. "You should have done that long ago! How much punishment does he deserve?!" He yelled to his face, not caring about the possible consequences.

Then it stopped. He felt like all of the strength was drained from his body and soul, leaving him hollow, empty and… old. "If it ends… if it ends his suffering, if it would be better…"

**"He cannot leave anymore. Can't you see it?"** the god gesture toward the sleeping Sanji. **"He grew a soul. He isn't just an "It" anymore, but isn't a person either, so I don't have power over him. And he remains chained to this ground."**

The priest felt his heart break. It had happened so many times during the hundreds of years he wasn't expecting it to hurt this much again.

"I'd do anything…" but his words trailed off.

**"You would?"**

The man turned and looked at the god.

**"You said you'd do anything to help him. Do you mean it?"**

The priest looked at the god's multiple eyes, and nodded hesitantly.

xxx

It was almost 30 year since the tree died.

The days were grey and somber and stretching to the horizont..

He never came back.

Sanji had stayed in the inner temple in the last weeks. Months? Maybe? It could've been a year even for as much he cared.

He didn't want to see the sky. Or hear the little noises coming from the jungle. He clasped his hands over his ears every time the rain started to fall, his breathing became quicker to tune out the sound.

The world was falling apart. It couldn't be anything else, the paintings on the wall started to blur before his eyes, and his vision was dotted with darkness, like somebody slowly erased the rest of the world… or just him.

In the last few days, he was slipping in and out of existence. He often found himself melted into the walls, the cold stones drinking up his body and consciousness. The madness was circling around him, but he was able to keep it at bay with memories… memories… of… green hair and dark, tanned skin… hard, sharp grey eyes, the colour of stones…

The pictures were too fuzzy to make sense. Where was he. Why was it so … oh right. The roof fell in during the last storm.

The god looked at the slight ray of sunlight coming through the hole, and watched the dust dance in in the whiteness. It was calm, and beautiful. It reminded him of … flickering silvery dots… sprawled on dark indigo sky…

A ripping headache struck again, making him grasp at his temples and hurl over himself, as he tried to breathe through the newest attack. It was useless, really, he almost never breathe anymore since it was not necessary. But the action somehow calmed him down, made him feel secure… He'd only done it because of… of…

And it was over.

He couldn't remember. It was like the memories were slipping past his fingers no matter how hard he tried to grasp at them. His hands dropped to his lap, his eyes glazed over.

"I'm dying" he whispered to the empty room.

He was expecting some sort of sadness, fear, regret or… anything. Anger at least, that he was chained to this goddamn temple for all of his life!

But nothing was there, expect the hollow emptiness. And in such a twist of fate, that was the most cruel thing of all.

His eyelids were slowly sliding together, but his eyes were still watching the dancing dust. So beautiful, he could watch them… forever… just sitting here and… yes, that would be nice…

_Thump._

What was that noice?

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Somebody's coming? No way, this place was so hidden by the jungle, no one could ever find it. He was imagining it, for sure.

_CRASH!_

The sudden crumbling sound jerked him back to reality. He tried to look around but his body wasn't obeying to his orders anymore.

"What –"

The steps started again, not hesitating for a moment as they got closer and closer, until a black shadow passed over him, going straight to the altar in the other end of the room. Sanji looked at the worn black trousers and the dark brown, tattered jacket on the broad shoulders.

The god's eyes widened as they settled on the mop of green hair. He gasped.

"No wa-".

"Hey, blondie" his voice was deep, shaking a little and Sanji felt it rumble through his insides. Not quite the same like from before, but he already loved it, even if he could hear the uneasiness flowing from it.

"I-I can't see you right now. I hope you're still here and…" his left clenched around the heavy hammer the god only now realized he was holding. The other wiped his face, and Sanji heard a short sniffling. Was the man… crying?

"And just… you know. Sorry for being late again."

The green haired man raised the hammer and took it in both hands. Only this moment did Sanji realize what the loud crash was earlier. His statue.

"Wait no—!" It was too late. The iron head made connection – rocks and hundreds of years' worth of dust flew everywhere, scattering across the inner temple. Sanji felt a sharp tug in his chest and everything started spinning. An invisible force lifted him up. He looked at his hands – they weren't there. He couldn't feel the wind that run through the room, picking up small rocks from the ground like a miniature tornado. And with a final flash of light, a last howl of the impossible wind – it was over.

xxx

Zoro leant on the hammer's haft and tried to breathe. The dust was already settling down, clinging to his sweat covered skin. So it was… over. If the old god was true to his words – and he had no doubts about that – Sanji was already… free. From here. Free from the burden of long and slow suffering. Which was… great, and made him happy, didn't it?

A tremble ran through the green haired man's body. He fell on his knees, fingers turning white on the end of the wooden haft, and shoulders slumped as his body was closing on itself. He was out of breath and couldn't hold back the harsh sobs. Sweat mixed tears flowed down his face, making his mouth taste salty and cling from his open lips, falling to the dusty ground.

This place was dead and his only, real home was destroyed – by his own two hands.

He'd never felt so alone in his life.

…

A soft buzzing sound started somewhere. Zoro didn't care. He wouldn't have minded if the world ended right now. But as the sound grew louder and louder he lifted his head and noticed the small glow above the destroyed altar.

The buzzing increased until it was drumming against Zoro's eardrums. He dropped the hammer and planted his palms each side of his head, and closed his eyes from the blinding flash of light. When the whiteness faded behind his eyelids he slowly opened them. There, laying on the sharp rocks was a thin and pale body.

The hammer hit the ground and the green haired man crawled his way to it.

It was the god – Sanji, Sanji's body. Zoro slowly raised his shaking hands and held his fingers above the half-open lips. He was… breathing!

He threw himself over his torso, gradually knocking the air out of the blonde's lungs with a pained _Ughf._

_"_Watch yourself, marimo" the man whispered. "I'm pretty new and shit. Couldn't you be a little more carefu –Zoro?"

The green haired man didn't answer. His face was buriedinto the Sanji's chest, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. The blonde placed a hand on the back of his head, and stroked was tearing up himself too. It felt much better than he ever could fantasize about – the marimo's hair was soft and his body firm and hot against him. The sole fact that he could touch him filled him with overwhelming happiness and warmth. He felt like glowing again.

„They said… they were impressed… by us? And they accept the sacrifice… Zoro," he raised the other man's face so he could look into his eyes "what did you do?

The other man smirked and his dark eyes – like stones insunlight – were shining. Sanji melt a little but held eye contact.

"You know they took everything from me last time, so I could come back to you?"

"Yes, the tiger… wait, what did you do?!"

"Well" the man answered, still smiling "this time, theyreally took everything. This is the last lifetime I can remember the previous ones.

"You give up… your gift?" Sanji stuttered, breathlessly.

"Yes I did. From now on," he whispered, fingers sliding trough the golden locks "we have to find each other on our own. I have no doubts that we will." His eyes trailed back to Sanji's ocean blue ones. "It's no matter where or when you'll be, I'll find you. See?" The man smirked, placing the blonde's hand to his cheek and kissing his palm. "I couldn't even stay dead without you."

"Stupid, stupid, shitty fucking stupid marimo bastard" the other man whispered, his arms surrounding Zoro's broad shoulders, nose buried to his neck. "And I'll find you too. No way I could let your lost ass wander out there all alone."

The green haired man's smirk widened. "Already thinking of my ass, swirly eyebrow?"

Sanji pouted. "I've been thinking about your ass for a pretty long time grasshead. But now, I hope you brought some clothes with you before this new body freezes at night and something falls off."

"Ööööhm…"

"You didn't, did you."

"I wasn't preparing for another person."

"Such thoughtfulness, I have to say. Wait that means… how long have you been wearing these clothes?!"

"Ugh…"

"Disgusting. Now get off of me and find something."

Sitting up, they noticed a small package in the left corner. Sanji lifted it – they were exactly the same clothes Zoro was wearing.

The green haired man raised an eyebrow and stroked his chin. "I think they don't know much about modern clothing."

"Nor about style apparently" Sanji murmured. The sky rattled above their heads.

"Okay okay, I understand" the blond waved his hand. "I'm happy, I'll wear them gladly. But first" he grabbed a handful of Zoro's shirt and yanked him closer. "Priorities." And kissed him, finally.

And believe me if I say, that definitely was the best kiss of the last millenium.

* * *

><p>This fic was a present for Henni and Nyuu, and for all the members of the Secret Underground ZoSan Society who was waiting for me to finally drag my lazy ass and write it. See I can do angst too!<p>

Thanks for sunshinesthroughtheclouds for being my wonderful beta! 33 You're awesome, girl!


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